John Frieda, the British celebrity hairstylist and beauty-industry figure whose clients included Jackie Kennedy and Princess Diana, has died at the age of 75. His salon announced the death in an Instagram post on Tuesday, Nov. 3, saying he had passed away peacefully surrounded by his family.
The Instagram post described Frieda as more than a mentor and "a true icon of the hair industry," adding that he had taught the salon team everything, believed in its members and made them better. Born in 1951, he came from a family of hairdressers and trained at the House of Leonard salon in London.
Frieda built his reputation in the 1970s as a hairstylist for stars and high-fashion magazines before opening his own salons. Those salons grew into an international haircare empire, and over his career he also looked after the hair of Twiggy, Mick Jagger, Nicole Kidman and Madonna.
His hair-product brand, John Frieda Professional Hair Care, was behind the cult Frizz-Ease line. It was sold to the Japanese cosmetics conglomerate Kao in 2002. Frieda was married twice and had four children.
Cetera Lamb, creative director at his salon, said the industry had lost "a true legend, a real maverick in hairdressing."